wishful thinking
noun
: the attribution of reality to what one wishes to be true or the tenuous justification of what one wants to believe
Examples of wishful thinking in a Sentence
The idea that the enemy will immediately surrender is nothing more than wishful thinking.
Recent Examples on the Web
That may or may not be wishful thinking.
—
Tara Lynch, CBS News, 6 May 2026
That was clearly wishful thinking.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
To pin our hopes on some far-off carbon capture technology is wishful thinking.
—Tom Caffery, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
That may be wishful thinking, though, if research is any indication.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wishful thinking
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Tara Lynch, CBS News, 6 May 2026
That was clearly wishful thinking.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
To pin our hopes on some far-off carbon capture technology is wishful thinking.
—Tom Caffery, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
That may be wishful thinking, though, if research is any indication.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wishful thinking
Cite this Entry
“Wishful thinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wishful%20thinking. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
